Ghosts of the Years Past
by Revever
Summary: Belle smiled. 'I must say that I never had a date on a haunted island. It's one of these things I didn't realize how badly I want to have until I've heard of it.' Part four of Crathie.
1. Chapter 1

'Belle...' Robert greeted her when she entered his shop. He reached for the vase standing on the counter and produced a single red rose. 'For you... If you'll have it.'

'Thank you,' Belle smiled widely, taking the flower. 'It's beautiful.'

She kissed him gently on the cheek, inhaling his scent.

'And I... I also wanted to make sure you are not angry at me for yesterday,' he said quickly.

'I'm not,' Belle frowned. 'Why would you think so?'

'Because I lost control over myself and drowned you in complaints and weaknesses,' he answered smoothly yet sadly. 'It was never my intention. It was probably because of Jefferson's stunt with the poetry and then... well, you shocked me pretty much by proposing a relationship.'

'It's all okay. I don't mind.'

Robert shook his head.

'I do. And, well, if at any point you have enough of it, of me, of the relationship, please tell me.'

'Robert...' Belle took his hand. 'It really was okay. And if I helped, I'm glad.'

'For now. It was just one evening. But believe me, I'm not the best choice for a man. You'll see.'

'Oh really,' she muttered, then added more somberly: 'Okay, but do you agree to leave that up to me? If I see that this is not working, I'll tell you. If we can't work it out, then ah well, at least we'll have some good moments together.'

'You promise? To tell me if something is wrong?'

'Yes, of course,' Belle nodded a bit taken aback with the intensity of his gaze. 'Robert, we're just getting to know each other now. There is a lot of room for learning what is and what isn't okay. It's a process, it takes time. I expect you to tell me if something is wrong as well.'

He listened to her with something like a tentative hope in his eyes, but he sighed at the last bit.

'I still feel bad about yesterday.'

Belle squeezed his hand.

'It was a lot of personal information. I'm not surprised that it's unsettling.'

'It's not only about it all being personal... It's like... like I used you to get comfort, sympathy, when it wasn't... necessary.'

He looked at her from beneath his hair. Belle moved the bangs aside, ensuring that she has his full attention.

'It's not about necessity. If you needed it, then you needed it.'

'And it's not irritating or a burden to you that I don't understand it right away? That you just had to explain it to me, reassure me? That I'm still asking questions? It can't be attractive.'

Some part of Belle laughed madly, thinking of numerous fictional characters and the kind of stories they tended to inhabit in fanfictions. But mostly, she was just concerned and determined to set the matter straight.

'It's not like every single part of you has to be attractive. What I find attractive is your passion for what you do... the exact thing that made me stay with you all day at the festival. And the way you can tell stories, like they were precious and valuable pieces of art, each of them. And the way you dress, a bit overdressing in comparison to the folks here. And your relationship with your son, you two are so adorable. And just you, the eyes, the hair, the face, the smell.'

Robert listened to this with open mouth and in the end just grabbed her and held close, not speaking, just hiding his face in her hair. Belle embraced him, running her hands over his back gently.

'So, are we good?' she asked eventually. 'Let's not hide from each other. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't, but let's take a chance?'

'I'll try...' he said in a small voice.

'We don't have to rush either. I spoke with my boss. I can stay longer. I didn't actually specified how long exactly.'

'And you won't be in trouble?'

'Nah,' Belle laughed. 'Gaston doesn't really care, as long as he has the articles I promised him. He's also totally used to the fact that I'm pursuing any interesting topic in any place on Earth. Paying for my stay here is relatively cheap comparing to some of my other business trips.'

'Sounds like a dream job.'

'It pretty much is. And I'm damn proud of working for the position. I started with writing the column about star gossips. You won't believe how dull that was.'

'Oh... I'm sorry to hear it.'

'No need. It makes me doubly grateful for what I have now.'

'Then maybe you shouldn't risk it by staying?' he asked with his nose still stuck into her hair.

'As I said, it's no trouble. You just have to provide me with writing material.'

'Well, have you heard of the ghosts visiting the island?'

'No. But I'd love to hear all about them,' Belle said with delight, straightening up and looking at him. 'And I'd love the trip to the island if you were so kind as to take me there.'

'I might. We don't have too many places here to go...'

He paused, blushing.

'On a date?' Belle smiled. 'I must say that I never had a date on a haunted island. It's one of these things I didn't realize how badly I want to have until I've heard of it.'

Robert smiled.

'Tomorrow then? After the shop closes? Bae is visiting Emma tomorrow, his schoolmate from another village. We'll drop him there and then have our date.'

'Agreed,' Belle nodded, then stole another kiss on his cheek. 'I'll be sure to take a camera there.'

* * *

The next day Belle had an occasion to see another, bigger village and the landscape around it as she and Robert drove Bae for his sleepover at Emma's. Bae looked at Belle awfully knowingly, but still smiling, so Belle supposed he was okay with her being with Robert. The boy was more excited about the sleepover anyway and barely had time to say goodbyes to her before almost bolting for Emma's house. Robert went with him, taking his backpack and talking to Nolans for awhile. Belle waited patiently in the front seat, her own small backpack ready for ghost-hunting on the island.

She smiled at Robert encouragingly when he came back.

'It's not Bae's first sleepover,' he admitted. 'And I know he's a big boy. And very smart. But still...'

'It's okay. But now, take us to the island. I know it's Saturday and it's barely noon, but I want to use the light to make the pictures.'

Robert nodded and they soon found themselves at the lake shore, on a small parking next to the pier. The lake itself was quite big, with dark, cold water. At it's center, Belle could see an island and when she squinted also a shape that might be the ruins Robert talked about.

She immediately reached for her photo camera.

'It's beautiful, isn't it?' Robert said quietly, standing next to her. Belle noticed that now he was always trying to stand or sit as close as he could, looking a bit like a hopeful puppy following its owner. She reached for him, taking his hand and he immediately closed his fingers around hers, smiling slightly.

'It's wonderful. Shall we go there?'

They took the prom along with two more tourists that wanted to see the ruins. The same prom would take them back in the evening, and Belle was excited at the perspective of the whole, warm afternoon in such a beautiful, interesting place – and with such a company. She forgot how it was to do any sightseeing together with another person.

'Thank you for taking me here,' she said as they trailed along the sand path toward the ruins. 'It so good to share the experience. Usually I'm on my own, and it has it's advantage, but not always.'

Robert blinked, looking at her with wide eyes. He looked a bit spooked.

'Belle, I... I'm glad I'm here with you,' he whispered. 'I'm sorry you're... That you sometimes feel lonely on your travels?...' Then he looked at her hesitantly, as if checking if he said the right thing. She squeezed his hand.

'It's my job and I love doing it, Robert,' she elaborated. 'But aside of that, now I found that I missed just being somewhere with a close companion. Somehow I never was in a relationship too long. I did some travels with Ariel, my friend from the newspaper, though. It was such a crazy fun, I'll show you pictures from Venice when we go back to Crathie, they are the best. When I was young we traveled some with my parents, but since then, well, my mom died, my father and I moved from Melbourne to London... He's a professor in Oxford now, at the Department of Engineering Science. And I have a work of my dreams, but it's still not everything I want to have in life.'

Belle paused for a moment, to take a breath, but also to take a picture on the ruins that now were almost all visible from behind a small hill.

'I...'

'Robert?'

He shook his head.

'I'm sorry you lost your mother,' he managed.

'Oh. Thank you. Though it was almost fifteen years ago now. It's not something you need to worry about.'

She curiously noticed that he was walking a few inches apart of her, while not so long ago he was practically glued to her side.

'Robert, is something wrong?'

He cringed.

'I'm sorry. I suppose... I'm not even sure what to say. Are you happy, Belle?' he asked suddenly.

'Of course I am,' she said at once, wondering where all this was going. 'And even more happy now that I'm with you.'

He seemed to be breathing easier now.

'I'm glad,' he said so quietly that she barely heard, but he inched closer to her again and practically melted into her side, when she put an arm around his waist.

'I'm really happy,' Belle said again, grinning, a bit just in case, and a bit because she felt so happy she might burst without vocalizing it. 'I feel so grateful, for my dad, my friends, for my job that allows me to see the world, but right now I'm just so happy I've met you.′

It must have had an additional good effect, because Robert was cuddling to her so much that they started to have trouble with walking straight. Not that Belle minded.

Still, he was afraid of something earlier. For all his sweetness, her Robert seemed to have a lot of demons on his own. She hoped they would work with them well. She didn't like to see anyone in fear and pain, and about her family and friends she felt ten times more protective.

'I'm so happy I have met you too,' Robert murmured. 'It's still so scary, but...'

They sat down on the big stone, warm from the sun rays. Now they could cuddle all they wanted.

'It happened quickly, yes,' Belle admitted. 'But I hoped for it from the very first day at the festival. No one earlier made me feel so certain I want to try.'

'Even if it won't work.'

'Even then. Oh Robert, I know that sometimes it just doesn't work, yes. But I don't think it's the reason to not try. I had so many spectacular fails in my work. But it all still was so worth a try.'

'Fails? You?'

'Oh yeah. One time, I went to amazonian jungle with the best equipment the newspapers could buy. My boss, Gaston, agreed to invest a small fortune in them. It was all so meticulously organized, I had a guide that worked with us previously, no going blindly, it was supposed to be a three days in the jungle, under care of local Indian guides...'

Belle trailed off, amazed how much energy went into organizing this little trip.

'What happened?' Robert prompted whispering.

'On the last day anaconda ate our best camera.'

Robert gasped.

'Oh, we retrieved it. Indians hunted the snake down. But then they refused to give the camera back. And it looked crushed too. We lost two threes of a footage. It might have been the most expensive of all my trips, even that apartment in Dubai for one night to catch that investor for the interview wasn't this costly...'

'Belle, an anaconda!' Robert interrupted her.

'Yes?...'

'An anaconda!' now Robert was working himself up. 'You go to the jungle where anacondas attack?...'

'Hey, hey, it's okay, calm down,' Belle caught him by arms and pulled closer. He allowed her to embrace him. She stroke his hair. 'Yes, Robert, I'm traveling to places that are moderately dangerous. It also is worth it. It's the price for seeing and living through things I always dreamed of. I wouldn't change it if someone paid me million dollars for it. But believe me, I'm not taking stupid, avoidable risks. Believe me, I'm smarter than that. I'm awfully curious, yes, and impulsive, but I'm doing this work for some time now, I've learned how to do it responsibly. And don't you think that there are many dangers right here, amongst us? So many people die in car crashes, for example. And yet, we are still using cars.'

Belle felt Robert relax, but more exactly, he sagged against her, hiding his face on her shoulder.

'Robert? Are you alright?'

'Aye,' he murmured. 'Aye, of course.' He straightened a bit and took deep breath, but didn't break the embrace. 'I'm not as brave as you and... I would hate it if something happened to you. It's scary enough to think that something could happen here, but places like amazonian jungle... Though to be honest, it doesn't matter where, you are right. Right here in Scotland is just as dangerous. And you at least are so happy when you travel.'

'Yes, I am. Though I didn't really mean that Scotland is dangerous. Just that my travels are not really that dangerous.'

'Still, I would ask you to promise me to be careful and come back okay... But it's fine, I know it's not something you can promise.'

He said it with heartbreaking undertone suggesting that he was preparing himself for the case when Belle doesn't come back.

'I can promise to be careful and not take any unnecessarily risks.'

'It's almost as good. I'm just terrible at not being afraid, I'm sorry. I don't want to pressure you...'

'Well, I'm not resigning from my travels, and I'd prefer to just work on assuring you that it's not as scary as it may seems. My father was worried at first too. Over time, he learned to trust me to take care of myself. Now he can't wait to hear stories and see pictures from my newest trips.'

'It would be good,' Robert agreed with a small smile. 'I'd gladly see more pictures than just Venice.'

'You'll see as much as you want,' Belle beamed. It would probably be too early to suggest they travel together from time to time, but who knows. Having a taste how it is like for real might be good for him, not to mention the sheer fun they could have.

* * *

They went on to the ruins after a good fifteen minutes of snuggling together in the warm sun.

'It was a chapel once,' Robert said. 'And before that, this island was a place of Celtic rituals. The Kirk wanted to establish its own presence here. Then it was destroyed in... in a big fire shortly before prince Bonnie Charlie was defeated at Culloden. But as the legend says, a hundred years later a group of rouges made this place their hidden base. Many people looked for a treasure on the island, but to no avail.'

'Wow! Did you too?'

'No, not really.'

'Even as a kid?'

Robert shook his head and looked at Belle sadly.

'My aunties wouldn't let me. And with that leg, I wouldn't be of much use in treasure hunting.'

Belle frowned.

'Your leg? You mean that it's such an old injury?...'

Robert flushed.

'Yes, even older,' he said quickly and rather coldly, not looking at Belle. 'It's no matter.'

'Oh, okay...' Belle reached for his hand. 'It's fine, you can tell me later.'

He nodded, but didn't look convinced.

'Much later,' Belle amended. 'But maybe you'll tell me something about your aunties?'

'I'm sorry, Belle. It's... it's making me uncomfortable.' He accented the words as if he asked her if he said it okay, so Belle nodded. 'And my aunties... well, I moved to Crathie to live with them when I was eleven. Before that I lived in Glasgow with my parents. My father worked in the docks, my mother was a waitress in some small pub. I suppose I am still a Lowlander in heart, even aside all the... misunderstandings with the village people. But I love the hills here, the legends. They're somewhat better than plain reality,' he smiled ruefully. 'Aunties taught me a lot about the lore. I loved hearing these stories. Then they died too, it was... about the time when I finished high school. I took over the workshop. I was meant to anyway, they were planning a retirement...'

'So your parents died when you were a child,' Belle said softly, caressing his hand.

'Well... my mom did. My father... I actually lived a year with him before he dropped me here. I don't know what happened to him then. He wasn't... really cut out for the job.'

Belle couldn't help but embrace him tightly then.

'Than you for telling me this,' she said into his ear.

'Well, you told me about your family too...'

She kissed him on the cheek.

'All the same, thank you.'

'I guess I should be grateful that I can tell someone about this,' Robert said in a more somber tone. 'It's not the kind of story I would want to tell Bae. He knows only the most necessary basics...'

'Oh. And I bet he asks about your family?'

'I guess he learned to not ask too much. He knows a lot more about aunties though, especially when there are so many of their things in the house, including various items they made for the annual festival, they initiated it in fact. But I can't very well tell him that his grandfather was a con man and a gambler. Or that he demanded my mom to give him money and shouted until she obeyed, calling her vile things... though no physical violence, never. He was kind of dependent on her when things were bad, but posed as an absolute ruler when things were good, well, good for him. Then he was promising her wonders but never delivered, treated her like a mascot. He also has no problem with going to the strip club, though he might have believed she didn't know that, I'm not sure.'

'But you knew?' Belle whispered. Robert coughed, looking away.

'I did. She told me.'

'What?...' Belle expected rather that he found out by himself, following his father or something. But why would his mother...

'It somewhat... slipped in the conversation,' he said quickly. 'Anyway, my father is not someone I would want Bae to know too much about. The last word I had from him was when aunties died, he wanted money, but aunties didn't have much cash. He took some of their jewelery, the pieces I didn't manage to hide and he left.'

'What an ass!' Belle huffed. Robert actually chuckled.

'Yes, he was. I hope he's happy enough wherever he is to not come here anymore.'

Now Belle chuckled, because it surely was a very pragmatic look at the matter. But also heartbreaking, especially when Robert didn't actually wish his father anything bad.

'It's good you could live with your aunties then,' she said.

'Yes. They were very good for me...' His voice wavered and Belle hugged him close. 'I... I so regret that at the end I wasn't there for them as much as I should. I was still at school, lived in the dorm. When auntie Mary fell ill it didn't seem so serious. I would come home if it did, really.' She hugged him even closer to show him, that she believe him. 'But all the same auntie Mary quickly became bedridden. And auntie Flora had to care for her. I... I should have been there.'

'Sweetheart, it's okay. It always seems like we should have done more for our loved ones.'

He shook his head.

'I know that. And I still should have been there. She died so quick, I wasn't there. I was just returning, I just finished the school and then I learned that she died.'

Belle cooed and held him close, because what else was there to do?

'Auntie Flora... she told me that I left her alone with her sick sister,' Robert whispered. 'I could see how scary it was for her, how terrible, how hard. I was even... relieved for her that... that she doesn't have to do it anymore. She could care for anyone, but her own sister... I don't know how I didn't expect she would follow her soon. I wish they were here. I would help them. I would tell them how important they are. I don't know how, but I would try to do better. Though I don't think I would know what to tell auntie Flora... She was hurting so much when auntie Mary died.'

'Sometimes we just can't do enough,' Belle whispered. 'It's not your fault.'

That must have hit something, two tears rolled down Robert's cheeks.

'Oh, sweetheart,' Belle cooed. 'You did all you could, I'm sure.'

'You weren't there,' Robert said in a hollow voice. 'You can't know.'

'But I know you now. Of course you did everything you could. I'm sorry that your aunties needed more. It is terrible, but it's not your fault.'

Robert hugged her closer now, hiding his face on her shoulder.

'Okay, Belle, okay. I'm so grateful that you're here... Do you really not mind hearing all this? We should have fun right now.'

'I don't. It's... it's somewhat magical to get to know other person like that. To know you trust me and need me enough to tell me this. It's... I never felt like that. I want it, and I want to help you,' she wondered for a moment. 'As much as it's possible,' she clarified, thinking of what she told him earlier. 'And I trust you to do the same for me if I would need it.'

He stiffened a little in her arms, taking sharp breath.

'But not now, Robert,' she added quickly. 'I know that right now you just told me so many things that are very hard for you. Say, maybe just let's sit down over there? I have food.'

Robert chuckled.

'How could I say no to food?'

* * *

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

They wandered through the ruins languidly after the meal. Robert told Belle more about cruel rouges bringing here their loot, hiding it for the rainy days.

'I guess the treasure was retrieved right after the bandits were captured. Only it was kept a secret. Maybe it was, in a matter of speaking, stolen again then, only by more respectable figures.'

'But it would mean that there is no treasure here to be found!' Belle pouted.

'It would explain why no one found one in the first place.'

'Boring,' Belle declared. 'Where would you hid a treasure if you were the bandit's chief?'

'You want to search for it?'

'Why not? We have a lot of time and a whole island to see.'

'I didn't get to the part where bandits were executed right here, except those who were killed in the fight. It's their ghosts that are hunting the island. It's another, more popular explanation, why the treasure was never found. People who were searching claim that weird and unexplainable things happened to lead them astray or plain simple scare them away.'

Belle smiled widely.

'Weird and unexplainable is what tiggers like most!'

'You sound like Bae,' Robert smiled, exasperated.

'Why, thank you.' Bell took his hand and gently tugged. 'Come on. Maybe at least we'd get a glimpse of these weird things! What kind of things they are?'

'Some pretty standard, unidentified noises and things moving on the verge of your field of view. But also human silhouettes moving in the distance or your things vanishing somehow. And there is also Reul Ghorm, though it doesn't have anything to do with bandits.'

Belle stopped and eyed him curiously.

'Come on, don't stop talking.'

'It's seen only at night. A blue light floating over moor, like a bright firefly. It is said to grant wishes, though almost never in a way they were intended. It's best not to wish for anything seeing it, especially for anything important. Though I actually know two people who benefited from seeing Reul Ghorm, ironically.'

'I like the way you smile, tell me more!'

'I happened a few years ago. Leroy, our local man, was searching for the treasure at night, claiming that he didn't want anyone near when he find it. Meanwhile, Astrid, a tourist, got stranded on the island. She missed the last prom back. She saw Leroy's flashlight, but was sure that it's Reul Ghorm, she just has heard all about it. She was frightened enough being alone in the dark on the island, that she went in its direction.'

'And found Leroy.'

'Half a year later, they got married.'

'Awwww,' Belle cooed. 'Now that's the kind of story I love to hear. But I hope we'll get the chance to see something too.'

'Let's see then,' Robert smiled shyly. We can go along the shore, then climb on that hill,′ he pointed to the other end of the island. 'Those trees next to the hill is where most weird things were seen.'

They walked slowly towards the hill, then through the woods. It was beautiful, but completely devoid of everything paranormal. They slowly climbed uphill.

'Is it okay, Robert? With your leg?'

'Yes,' he said quickly.

'We can go slower, just say.'

'It's fine, Belle, please...' There was a begging tone in his voice, so Belle didn't say anything else. But it wasn't okay if he pushed himself just to appear stronger.

'I might be wrong,' she said cautiously, when they sat on another large, flat rock on the top of the hill. 'But just in case, I find it much more attractive to take care of oneself according to real limits, than to push to reach some imagined level of being fit.'

For a moment he looked at her, not even blinking.

'I... It's not exactly that,' he said finally. 'I just don't like... attention.'

Belle cuddled up to him.

'Okay. If you say you know your limits, I believe you. I was just worried that you'd want to push it for me.'

He nodded, relaxing a bit.

'I won't, but let's not talk about it. Please.'

'Okay.' Belle turned to the view around her. 'I love how the lake looks like a mirror, there's almost no wind.'

'I packed raincoats anyway,' Robert smiled. 'It can change without notice here.'

'So I've heard. And I suppose that for the first time I would experience midgets fully. So far I was already home when they were supposed to bite.'

'You certainly need to get acquainted then.'

They laughed together, then suddenly Robert caught her in an embrace, hugging closely.

'A week ago I wouldn't even dream of knowing someone like you. And here we are. It seems unreal.'

'I'm surprised too, but very happy.' Belle laid her head on his shoulder.

'I'm not used to pleasat surprises, you know? I keep thinking that something would happen to... to ruin it... That I'll ruin it, or someone ruin it for us, or something bad would happen...'

'You didn't mention that I could ruin it?'

'You wouldn't. If you wanted out, you'd do it... gracefully. And I'd understood. But there are so many other things that could happen. There always are.'

'Hey, shh. No need to think of something you don't control.'

'But it's scary,' Robert whispered. 'Like... like anaconda. It happens suddenly and everything is ruined, and nothing is ever the same.'

Belle frowned.

'Something like that already happened to you, right?'

'Aye...' he whispered.

'I'm sorry it did. But it doesn't have to be the same now. That's the thing, we don't know what will happen. It doesn't have to be good, but it also doesn't have to be bad. And I find it comforting. There's no sure disasters in the future. I try to remember that, when I stress over something too much, that I simply don't know what really would happen, so it's a bit silly to think that I'm surely right to predict it in some specific, bad way. And at the same time it's not thinking that everything will be perfect.'

'Maybe...' Robert said a bit calmer. 'I just don't want to lose you. Or Bae.'

'Bae? Are you nervous about leaving him at Emma's?'

'No, not specifically that. Just in general, that something can happen to him. And that eventually he'll leave. Why would he want to live all life in Crathie? He would grow up soon and... I know it's normal, natural, and he should do what he wants. I know he won't forget me totally. But...'

'But?'

'No, it's silly.'

'It's not silly, sweetheart.'

Robert cuddled even close after hearing the endearment.

'I... With him, I have someone for whom I'm the most important person. I'm his papa. But that's just until he finds a girl. He would still love me, but...' he sighed. 'I told you it's silly. And childish. And really selfish in fact. I'm just that... that overbearing, overprotective father. But I'm doing all I can to not smother Bae, really.'

'Oh sweetheart, you're not silly, or childish, or selfish.'

'With a bit luck, that girl would be Emma. He would have a little more ties to this place then.'

Robert said it with an attempt to smile and to make an impression that he is completely okay with that. It failed miserably.

'Well, I know it's early for this. But if everything is going like it is now, then I can't see why we couldn't be that most important person to each other.'

Robert looked at her with wide eyes and Belle just hoped she didn't overdo it. But then she had an armful full of her man and was crushed mercilessly in his embrace. It felt good.

'Sweetheart?' she prompted after a long moment of silence.

He relaxed his embrace a little bit.

'I know it's not sure,' he said somberly. 'But I would like that very much.'

'Me too. I'm not saying it only to make you feel better right now,' she added just in case. 'I really love the idea.'

'Gods, I was always so afraid of being alone...' Robert sighed. 'To be just fading away, with no one around, no one close, no one who would care... Except Bae there was no one... even if they liked me, even Jefferson or Whale, they would just have better things to do. You know, throw some help and mercy at me, but it's not the same as someone who stays.'

Belle wanted to promise forever right on the spot, but thought it better to stick with the plan previously agreed on. She had a strong feeling it would be forever anyway.

'It's a dreadful feeling...' Robert whispered, prompting Belle to rub his shoulders and back almost unthinkingly. 'Cold and persistent. It's when there's no hope left.'

'Well, now we agreed precisely on hope, sweetheart.'

Robert smiled gently. Then they both made the first move and their lips met halfway in the first deep, long kiss.

Some minutes later they separated, Robert looking equally dazed as she felt. But then he froze with panicked look on his face and when Belle followed his gaze down the hill, she spotted the prom leaving without them.

* * *

'Oh no! On no, no, no, no, no, no, no!' Robert exclaimed, making weird gestures with his hand.

'Was that the last time he...?'

'Aye! Aye, and now we're stranded here, he'll be coming back tomorrow, and only if there actually are some tourists wanting to see the island!'

'Of course there will be tourists, tomorrow is Sunday. Hey, it's alright.' Belle took his hands in hers, hoping that would help him calm down. 'Let's try calling someone, okay?' Robert shook his head. 'Oh, don't be embarrassed. We can call this Leroy if you have his number. I think he wouldn't laugh.'

'No, it's not that,' Robert said miserably. 'We're just far out of range here. Even at the land shore it could be a problem.'

'Oh,' Belle frowned, thinking furiously. 'But maybe he would remember about us. He didn't have that much passengers.'

'I think he would. He's... not the most... smart yen around. Oh Belle, I'm so sorry!'

'Not your fault, silly,' Belle kissed him quickly to stop any panic and apologizing. 'Maybe someone would notice we're not back. If I'm not back at bed and breakfast...'

'They would think you're spending the night at my place...' Robert said with his face reddening. Belle couldn't stop a smile.

'It's okay, even if we had to spent the night here. What, do you think we can't manage that?'

'Aye,' he said gravely. 'I don't think I camped like that... well, ever.'

'Well, then you have an enormous luck, mister, you're with a woman who camped in the jungle next to camera-eating anacondas!'

That finally made him snort with laugh.

'Okay, but... you would have to tell me what to do.'

'I will. Sweetheart, look, it's an adventure. It will be so much fun. And maybe we'll see those weird things after all!'

He sighed, but in a much lighter way. She picked the place for their little camp, shielded from wind and visible from the pier, just it case the prom came back for them. Then they gathered wood for the fire and sat cuddled together between the flames and a solid rock.

'Here come midgets,' Belle sighed, swatting at the small creatures. She used a repellent, but they didn't seem to be bothered with it.

'It's good we brought warm clothes,' Robert said, arranging some to sit on and some to cover them with.

'And food. When I took it from Ruby I thought the portions were far too big are would waste, but now I appreciate it. Between that and the food you brought it would be enough even for a good breakfast.' She pointedly stuffed her mouth with a cheese sandwich.

Robert cuddled close to her, nodding his agreement silently, as his mouth were just as full. After the meal they lied by the fire, staring at the sky. By this time it was dark, filled with stars.

'It's so beautiful,' Belle sighed. 'I'm glad that we missed the ride back.'

'Then I'm glad too. It's... so special to be here with you.'

Belle smiled and nuzzled into his neck.

'It's so good to not be alone, Belle,' he said softly. 'Aren't you... afraid when you travel alone?'

'No. Well, there are stressful situations, sure, and moments of panic, but I guess you're asking about something more... permanent?'

'I guess so.'

'Then no. Learning and seeing new things is something I can't live without.'

'When... when you'll be leaving for the next trip?'

He clearly tried to sound okay with it, but his voice trembled very distinctly.

'I have a trip to Spain planned for this autumn. Nothing more. I'll be gone for two weeks, three at most.′

'And then you'll be back?...' he said in a small voice. She shifted, supporting herself on her elbow, to look down at him.

'Of course I'll be back!'

He was looking at her like she was a miracle and she couldn't help but bend down and kiss him.

'We're together now,' she said decisively. 'Together means together also in terms of latitude and longitude. And as long as we are together, I'll always be back. I hope it would be forever,' she added the last words in whisper.

For a moment he didn't said anything, just looked up at her, then tears rolled from his eyes and slid down his temples.

'Oh, Belle...'

He was looking at her completely in awe. Belle almost couldn't believe it herself. They really knew each other about a week, and yet, nothing short of forever fit. If it wasn't magic, she didn't know what was.

They kissed again, messy, watery kiss, then lied down, cuddled close.

'Just be careful, Belle... and don't be mad at me for reminding you that.'

'I'm not. I'll tell you much more about my travels, you'll see it's not that scary.'

'It just... it would be so much more terrible to be left alone now when I know you.'

'You won't be,' she murmured, her eyes already closed.

'Aren't you afraid of being alone?' he whispered, as if surprised with her steady assurances.

'I know it would be terrible,' she whispered back. 'It just doesn't seem that much probable. And I already lost my mother and learned that I can count on other people, family and friends. It hurt so much, but we were together in it. And then it hurt less, and then the good memories were back in front of my head instead of the ones about the loss. I miss her, but I feel like she's not completely gone.'

'It's good,' Robert whispered.

'But all the same, I'd so prefer to not go through it again.'

'Me too... Though I couldn't ever make sure that you got back to your bed tonight...'

'Hey, I already told you it's perfect as it is.'

'So yo did.' Belle heard smile in his voice, but then the somber tone returned. 'I'm trying to do everything to keep Bae safe and happy. But I always fear it's not enough. World is a scary place...'

'It can be,' Belle murmured. 'But not always.'

'It is, when folks around you don't care about you or would laugh at you, or hurt, or use you...'

She felt him shift even closer to her.

'That's why you're so afraid to lose people you're connected with?' she asked.

'I guess... But if I can have Bae and you, then it's all okay. Fortunately, they like him. And they will like you.'

'But...'

'I'm used to it. And, well, I deserve it too.'

Belle sighed, hoping he'd tell her sometime soon what made the people of Crathie so opposed to him.

'Just tell me, Belle, if I'm doing something wrong, okay?'

'Okay. But so far there's nothing wrong. Come on, close your eyes and try to sleep, don't overthink things. We're safe here. We're warm and full of good food. Tomorrow we'll eat, walk around the island some more and then we'll go home.'

Robert murmured something in agreement and curled up to Belle. The next day when she woke up, Belle was still being held in a tight embrace like a living teddy bear. Deciding that it's still early, she shifted a bit to have better angle and hugged him in the best koala impersonation she was capable of.

* * *

'Do you think we can keep it quiet?'

Robert was looking at her anxiously. After waking up they ate the rest of their food and packed up. They also cleaned themselves best as they could, which resulted in something that Belle labeled as presentable, but obviously freshly out of the wilderness, with a distinct smell of smoke clinging to their rumpled clothes. Now, from the smaller hill, they could see the prom slowly making his way back to island with new tourists aboard.

'I think we can just pretend that this was the plan all along.'

'We could?'

The hope in his voice would be comical if Belle didn't know how vicious people could be towards him. The less occasions for them to criticize or laugh, the better.

'Sure.'

She felt him calming down. Soon he smiled, pointing to something on the land.

'Can you see the mansion? There, in the middle of the forest.'

'Yes,' Belle nodded, though she wouldn't have noticed it if he didn't show it to her.

'Our local laird lives there, Henry Mills. A very nice, sympathetic man.'

'Do you know him well?'

'I used to, yes. After his wife divorced him and left, well, we had something in common and he isn't one to judge anyone either.'

'You could support each other.'

'Sort of... Well, it's more like I wanted to congratulate him that he was free from that harpy wife. Cora was an evil woman. He was attached to her nonetheless. I also tutored their daughters when they were in primary school. The older one left with her mother, and it's just for the best if you ask me, but Regina stayed. She can be difficult, but I think we get along fine. She is in college now, but she spends all her free time here. Maybe you'll get the chance to meet her riding her horse along her sweetheart, Daniel.'

'Maybe we can just pay them a visit?'

'Maybe...' Robert frowned. 'But it was always him who invited me, him or Regina...'

Belle squeezed his hand.

'It's okay. There's not hurry. But I believe there should be a little hurry in getting down the hill now and to the pier. We don't want to miss the prom the second time.'

'No, we don't,' Robert smiled, squeezing her hand back and slowly they made their way down.


End file.
